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Education Minister Ruairi Quinn today announced the formal recognition of Educate Together as a second level patron. The Minister made the announcement at Educate Togther's Annual General Meeting.

The proposal was tabled by Minister Quinn at Tuesday's Cabinet meeting and endorsed as government policy by both coalition parties. Educate Together has 58 schools at primary level around the country.

The Minister’s announcement was one of several made in his address to Educate Together AGM delegates. He spoke of the particular challenges ahead in Irish education with significant increases in demand anticipated at both primary and secondary level. This demand will require the establishment of up to 20 new post-primary schools over the next five years. 

The Minister also praised Educate Together’s ‘Blueprint for Second Level’ document, which calls for significant change in the curriculum and current teaching approaches at second level.

The Minister told the AGM,

You have shown great leadership in creating and sustaining a national network of primary schools. You know that I have long been a supporter of your involvement at primary school level. I can now confirm the Government's view that Educate Together meets all the requirements to operate as a patron of a second-level school.

It is my intention to prioritise the development of a new framework for the recognition of new second-level schools in the context of the Government Programme's commitment to plurality. I am finalising proposals to bring to Cabinet to that I can set about implementing this Government commitment shortly.